Denaby Pottery

June 1931

Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 12 June 1931

Denaby Pottery

Your Denaby correspondent asks if, the site of Pottery at Denaby can be located. Many of your older readers will be able to recall some ruined buildings, including a tall chimney stack which, until comparatively recent times, stood on the south side of the railway somewhere between the end of Denaby Lane and the level crossing, unless my memory errs.

This was where the Pottery in question was situated.

It was originally established by Messrs. Alcocks, of Burslem, for the manufacture of fire bricks. In 1864, however, it was acquired by Mr. John Wardle, who, in conjunction with Mr. W. Wilkinson, commencd to manufacture all the ordinary kinds of printed earthenware, pearl body, and cream ware in all the favourite patterns from new copperplates. Really good tea, dinner, coffee, and toilet services were produced, together with yellow, or cane coloured ware, and decorative tiles, from Conisborough clay.

Later, a branch pottery was established at Conisborough. The distinguishing mark was the Staffordshire knot, with the words, “Wilkinson and Wardle. Denaby Potteries.”

Somewhere about 1870 the manufacture of earthenware at these works ceased, and this factory was converted into a bone and glue works.